KEVIN GUTTINGMaura O'Connor, 12, of Deerfield ascends a hill at Look Park in Florence on Monday, May 5, 2014, during a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGJack Coscia

KEVIN GUTTINGBrady Kerwood

KEVIN GUTTINGOne rider takes a run-up of the grassy hill at Look Park without dismounting during week three of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program.

KEVIN GUTTINGMaura O'Connor, 12, of Deerfield needs little help from Northampton Cycling Club member Kevin Kerwood a she barrels through the sand pit of the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGAiden Mapel, 11, of Southwick, passes his father, NCC board member Chris Mapel, on the run-up portion of the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGAiden Mapel, 11, of Southwick and Gus Lellman, 10, of Florence hone their balancing skills in the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGBikes ready for the shotgun start of a final run in week five of the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program.

KEVIN GUTTINGU.S. national cyclocross champion Jeremy Powers takes questions from Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program riders near the run-up on the course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGJ.J. Moore, 7, of Northampton prepares to descend a hill at Look Park during the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGAlexander Hunkins, 10, of Florence runs the back of the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGBenjamin O'Connor, 7, of Florence crosses over a log on the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGVictoria Gates, left, 16, of Southampton and Mira Fowler, 10, of Northampton lead a group off the line for the final run of the day in the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGU.S. national cyclocross champion Jeremy Powers of Easthampton demonstrates a short jump for riders in the Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGNorthampton Cycling Club board member and Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program leader Jeff Fowler gives a preview of what the participants will be learning in the fourth week of the five week program at Look Park. From left, are Mira Fowler, 10, Victoria Gates, 16, and Simon Dostal, 9.

KEVIN GUTTINGA mass start for the final run of the course during week three of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGSchuyler Trapani, 8, of Florence gets an assist in the sand pit from Northampton Cycling Club member Kevin Kerwood.

KEVIN GUTTINGSimon Dostal, 9, of Northampton takes the run-up on the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGAlec Donahue, who along with Mukunda Feldmen and Jeremy Powers co-founded the JAM Fund, rides the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGElla Lamee, 11, of Northampton dismounts for the run-up where Alex Sirois, 8, of Florence is getting an assist from Northampton Cycling Club board member Chris Mapel of Southwick.

KEVIN GUTTINGAlexander Hunkins, 10, of Florence vaults over a log on the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGGus Lellman, 10, of Florence powers by NCC board member Chris Mapel of Southwick near the top of the run-up at the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course.

KEVIN GUTTINGNava Chevan and Mathieu Johnson, both 11 and of Florence, practice their starts under the direction of U.S. national cyclocross champion Jeremy Powers, standing at left.

KEVIN GUTTINGAlex Sirois, center, 8, of Florence approaches a balance beam during the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGAiden Mapel, left, 11, of Southwick and Finnegan O'Connor, 14, of Deerfield fly down the straightaway of the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGU.S. national cyclocross champion Jeremy Powers of Easthampton gives some start line advice to riders in the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGVictoria Gates, 16, of Southampton jumps a barrier while helping out at the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGVictoria Gates, left, 16, of Southampton, Aiden Mapel, 11, of Southwick, and others wait to descend a hill at Look Park during week three of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGA practice start during the fourth week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGSecond to eighth graders work on their balance during the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGMarua O'Connor, 12, of Deerfield takes the run-up on the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGRiders practice hill descents in the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGRiders line up to practice their descents on a Look Park hill in the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program.

KEVIN GUTTINGMira Fowler, center, 10, of Northampton watches Jack Coscia, 9, of Holyoke take a spill off the balance beam in the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGOne rider takes a hill descent at Look Park in the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program.

KEVIN GUTTINGSRiders practice on a paved section of the Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program course at Look Park.

KEVIN GUTTINGDaniel Rondeau practices his hill descents at Look Park in the third week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

KEVIN GUTTINGNCC member Kevin Kerwood, left, helps one rider ply the sandpit in the fourth week of a five-week Spring Junior Cyclocross Training Program at Look Park sponsored by the Northampton Cycling Club and the Northampton Recreation Department.

Cyclocross is a fast-growing sport that combines the technical skills of mountain biking and the intensity of traditional road racing. The races — often likened to steeplechase for bicycles — take place over a short loop of a mile or two, offering spectators up-close accessibility and excitement.

On five recent afternoons in April and May, about 30 kids gathered at Look Park in Florence to learn skills like jumping logs, powering through sand, and ascending and descending hills in grass and dirt.

Jeff Fowler and other Northampton Cycling Club members organized the program, which is offered through the Northampton Recreation Department.

Last Monday, the participants, ages 7 to 13, were treated to a visit from Jeremy Powers of Easthampton, the current and two-time U.S. national cyclocross champion who dropped by to help them up their game.

Each session ends with a full ride around the course where the kids time themselves for personal improvement — and generate plenty of their own enthusiasm.

“I’ve always loved the outdoors — and being daring,” said Ella Lamee, 11, of Northampton, after a lap through the woods. Alexander Hunkins, 10, of Florence, added, “Next week I’m lookin’ forward to the mud!”

To suggest a subject for Your Time, email Suzanne Wilson at swilson@gazettenet.com.